1. field of the invention
The invention relates to a temperature-controlled drawer apparatus that can be mounted in cabinetry and can be maintained at a preselected temperature for warming and cooking food items.
2. description of the related art
Many residential kitchens are provided with a warming drawer that is heated, typically by electrical or gas heating elements, to a desired temperature for various purposes, such as warming plates to receive cooked food, or warming or maintaining previously cooked foods at a desired temperature without further cooking. Such warming drawers serve many of the purposes of a cooking oven, but are of a simpler design, less expensive, smaller, and operate at a lower temperature, thereby enabling the principal kitchen oven to be used for cooking other foods while selected food items are warmed or maintained in a warmed condition.
Warming drawers are frequently mounted in wooden cabinetry. Current safety standards limit the temperature of the cabinet as heated by the warming drawer. Consequently, the warming drawer must typically be enclosed within a larger, insulated cavity. This impacts the overall and working dimensions of the drawer, and increases the cost of the warming drawer. The safety standards can also limit the temperature to which the warming drawer can be heated, thereby limiting its utility.